Hippeastrum seeds and light

From: "Jamie V." <jamievande@freenet.de>
Reply-To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [pbs] Hippeastrum seeds and light
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006 10:30:46 +0100

Darren,

I've been germinating a few Hippeastrums over the past months and concur
with Hans-Werner in the temperature area. I have found that germination
is equally good when I float the seeds in water, plant them on the
surface or plant slightly below the surface. Constant moisture seems to
be key, without it getting soggy wet. (Hans-Werner's suggestion about in
the dark makes excellent sense. The moisture level would be more
consitent). In the garden, I would try preparing the soil to smooth it
out, plant the seed on the open surface and then cover lightly with
clean sand, to hold them in place and maintain moisture/soil contact.
With the temperatures you have in La Paz, they should be showing leaves
in 2-3 weeks, I would think. I can't see planting them more than 1cm
below the surface as advantageous, but I may be wrong.

Something I've notices over the past months of germination; not all
seeds/crosses germinate in the same time span. Some have been very
quick, mainly from large-flowered crosses, while those of H. cybister,
H. striatum, have been a bit slower, say another 10 days later. This
could be coincidence, or simply another adaptation to the species
natural environment.

While on this topic, I have had the pleasure of blooming some of the
newer hybrids this Winter, among them H. xGiraffe, H. xLaPaz, H. xTosca,
H. cybister 'Reggae', H. xExotic Star, H. xEmerald and H. xBenfica.
Giraffe is a favourite with it's slightly twisted, veined blooms
underlayed with green. Also a robust grower. Can't wait to have a
clump growing. It will be a show-stopper.

I hope to poat some photos soon.

Jamie V.
Cologne

Darren Sage schrieb:

Thank you.

How deep can they be planted?

I intend to grow then outside, where we have current temperatures of
15-25 C night/day.

Kind regards

Darren
(L Paz, Mexico)

From: "Hans-Werner Hammen" <haweha@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
To: pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [pbs] Hippeastrum seeds and light
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2006 16:15:32 +0000

Hi Darren:

You can germinate hippeastrums in the dark.
This is even advantageous because then the substrate dries out more
slowly.

However when the first seedlings show up with leaves 1 cm long then
it is
high time to apply natural light or artificial light from fluorescent
tubes
or high pressure metal halide discharge lamps, the area related

electric

installation power being in the magnitude of 200 Watts / square meter.

I recommend "only" 22 to 25°C indoors.
That is enough in order to envoke full growth speed.
Higher temperatures means a shift of the light/temperature ratio
indoors to
a critical lower level and might provoke a more elongated, unstable,
watery,
spillery growth.
For the same reason there might be some advantage to reduce the night
temperature. For energy saving reasons (I admit), but with this in

mind

too, I reduce the air temperature to 20-22°C at night.

There is another point of view associated with these recommendations
which
might become relevant - much later: You disadvantage those seedlings
individuals which have a higher or particularly high temperature

demand.

For my part I never want to keep such capricious seedlings. These
should all
be thrown away when the moment has come to select and replant the
youngsters.

Hans-Werner

From: "Darren Sage" <darrensage100@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
To: pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [pbs] Hippeastrum seeds and light
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 23:37:18 +0000

I have been making my first crosses and have just harvested my first

seeds

today.

Is light needed for germination? What tempertures are recommended?

These

are crosses from large flowered hybrids.

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